Liquid dispensing apparatus



Nov. 26, 1940. l F B, BROWN4 2,222,704

LIQUID DI SPENS ING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l 55 Z26 9,551? M Z0 ja/zcz's .grown 6MM/MAM Nov. 26, 1940. F. B BROWN2,222,704

LIQUID DI SPENS ING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 22, 1957 2 sheets-shet 2 Z-G. e2.4 I u .76 g I .54 16 :z a frm ,f7 ,/4 ff 60 .ff f4 Jy /45 659 44 f h 21- 3 61 ETHYL f6' r GASOLINE 46 5 35 ,Francis i ,r'owiz a A i exim/MMAPatented Nov. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFECE 2,222,704 LIQUIDDISPENSING APPARATUS California Application November 22, 1937, SerialNo.175,853

12 Claims.

My invention relates to liquid dispensing apparatus for selectivelycontrolling the discharge of uids of various characters from diierentsources through a common outlet; and it has particular reference,although not necessarily, to

apparatus -for selectively controlling the dispensing of differentgrades of gasoline from the individual compartments of a truck tank,through a metered outlet into the various underground tanks of agasoline service station.

It is a purpose of my invention to provide such an apparatus which ismanually operable to selectively control dispensing of gasoline from anyone compartment of a truck tank to a metered outlet common to all of thecompartments, and in such manner that thereis only a negligible amountof contamination or mixture of one grade of gasoline With that ofanother.

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide such a liquid dispensingapparatus which embodies an indicating means manually operable topreselect and visibly indicate which valve of the apparatus is to beopened to dispense a preselected grade of gasoline, and a controlmechanism for a valve opening mechanism which is operable by theindicating means to ycontrol movement of the valve operating mechanismto open the preselected valve and none other, all to the end ofeliminating the erroneous or intentional dispensing of one grade ofgasoline for that of another. y

A further purpose of my invention is the provision of a dispensingapparatus having a plurality of valves, one for. each tank compartment,and a manually operable valve operating mechanism for selectivelyactuating the valves, and which includes a single lever, and means forlatching the lever in any selected position to prevent the accidentalopening or closing of any of the valves.

I will describe only one form of the liquiddispensing apparatusembodying my invention, and then will point out the novel featuresthereof in claims. v

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view showing in perspective one form of liquid dispensingapparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. l.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view taken on the line 6 6 ofFig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional view taken on the 5 line '|-`I of Fig.6.v

Fig. 8 is an enlargedfragmentary perspective View, looking at the innerside of the front plate of the manifold and showing `the latch for theoperating lever.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged perspective View showing schematically the valveoperating means, the indicating means, and the control mechanism.

In carrying out my invention, I provide a manifold M in the form of ahollow metal structure of substantially rectangular shape. By means ofvertical partitions I5 and I6, a liquid outlet chamber Il is formed inthe manifold M. These partitions combine with horizontal partitions I3and I9, I9 to form liquid inlet chambers 20, 20 and 2 I, 2 I

The rear of the manifold at the chambers I1, 20, and 2|, is open butclosed by a plate 22 having inlet openings 23, one for each of the inletchambers -20' and 2|. To the plate 22 are secured threaded collars 24into which pipes (not shown) are threaded, leading, respectively, fromthe four compartments of a truck tank (not shown) containing variousgrades of gasoline, yso that the respective gasolines are supplied bygravitational floW to the individual inlet chambers 20 and 2|.

Ports 25 are formed in the partitions I5 and I6, one for each of theinlet chambers, and through these individual ports gasoline from therespective inlet chamber is permitted to flow into the common outletchamber I'I, andoutwardly of the front of the manifold through an outlet|'|a like- Wise provided with a collar 24a for connection to a hose (notshown). The passage of gasoline from any one inlet chamber 20 or 2| iscontrolled by a valve V or V Which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, comprisesa cup-shaped valve head 25 having at one side a stud 21,threadedlyengaging a conical shaped nut 28. Between the head and nut isa gasket 29 adapted to seat on the port Wall to eiiect a liquid tightseal when the valve is in closed position. At the cup side of the valvehead a stud 30 is formed for centering a spring 3| thereon. The valvehead 26 slides in a cup shaped guide 32 extending through a suitableopening in the end Wall of the manifold, and this guide is provided witha ange 33 bolted to the manifold, and formed With a centering rib 33a.The large end ofthe spring 3| abuts the inner side of the guide 32Within the rib 33a, and yieldably urges the valve head 26 to closedposition on the seat of the port- Each pair of valves V and V areaxially alined so that the confronting ends of the nuts 28 are likewisealined. This arrangement is for the purpose of permitting the valves ofeither pair to be opened by a common element. In the case of the pair ofvalves V, the element is in the form of an arm 34; and in the case ofthe valves V, the element is in the form of an arm 35. These arms arecast integral with a hub 36 xed to a shaft 31 extending through a liquidseal 38 and journaled in a bearing 39 in the partition I8 (Fig. 6).Thus, the shaft 31 is mounted for movements both axially andcircumferentially. The arms 34 and 35 are formed at their free ends Withheads 34et and 35a, respectively, which extend to opposite sides of thearms to be interposed between the small ends of the nuts 28 of one pairof valves or the other, depending upon the circumferential position ofthe shaft 31.

Lateral movements of the arms 34 and 35 are effected through axialmovements of the shaft, and depending upon which head 34a or 35a isinterposed between the respective pair of valves and in which directionthe shaft is then axially shifted, determines which valve of either pairis opened.

The shaft 31 is adapted to be actuated by means of a lever L (Fig. 6)comprising a solid section 40 and a tubular section 4I telescopicallyreceiving the solid section. The section 4B is pivotally connected tothe reduced end 31EL of the shaft 31, by a pin 42 extending through theforked end 43 of the section. This connection permits the shaft to berotated by vertical movement of the lever L, and to be moved axially byhorizontal pivotal movement of the lever. To support the lever for thesemovements, a partition 44 is embodied in the manifold having a verticalslot 45 therein. Through this slot the lever section 40 extends, and thewalls of the slot are beveled as shown to allow of the necessary rockingmovement horizontally of the lever.

The telescopic association of the lever sections 40 and 4I is for thepurpose of providing actuating means for a latch to secure the lever inany of its several positions of adjustment and to thereby preventaccidental operation of the valves V and V. Normally the lever section4| is urged outwardly by a spring 46 contained therein, but 'such urgingis limited by a pin 41 fixed in the section 4l and extending through aslot 48 in the solid section 4U. This pin 41 constitutes the latch pinof the latch for it is designed to engage any one of a plurality ofkeepers 49 (Fig. 8) under the action of the spring 49, and to disengageany keeper b-y pushing the lever section inwardly against the tension ofthe spring.

The keepers 49 are in the form of lips on plates 59, 50 secured to theinner side (Fig. 8) of a front plate 5l for the manifold M. The plates59 and 5| are constructed to provide an I-shaped slot 52 through whichthe lever L extends and in which `it is adapted to be moved in theselective opening of the valves V and V.

My invention also embodies an indicating `means manually operable tovisibly select any one `of the valves in advance of actuating the leverL to open that valve, and a control mechanism for the lever operable bythe indicating means to restrict or restrain the lever, when unlatched,to that movement necessary to open the selected valve. Thus iseliminated the possibility of accidentally or intentionally actuatingthe lever to dispense gasoline from any compartment of the truck tank,except that compartment corresponding to the valve selected inaccordance with the indicating means.

The indicating' means comprises a changeable sign in the form of a block53 (Figs. 6 and 9) having on its side faces legends describing therespective grades of gasoline contained in the tank compartments. Thisblock is rotatably mounted in a chamber formed in the manifold by acurved wall 54 (Fig. 5), so as to be disposed to the rear of a windowBla in the plate 5I and through which each legend on the block can beseen as the block is rotated. The block is fixed to a shaft 55, one endof which is journaled in a pro iection 56 and the other end in one endwall of the manifold (Fig. 6).

The control mechanism comprises a member 51 fixed to the shaft at oneend of the block and provided with a groove 58 to divide the member intotwo abutments 59 and 60. These abutments are formed with coaxial slots6l and 62, respectively, leading to the groove 58 and spaced 90 degreesapart. Where th-e shaft 55 projects from the end of the manifold, it isformed with a handle 63 having peripheral facets 53 bearing consectutivenumerals for indicating the valves V and V (Fig. 9).

A pair of rods 64 and 65 are mounted in suitable supports 66 fixed inthe manifold, so as to be capable of independent axial movements. Theserods have xed to one end tongues E1 and .'58, respectively, normallywithin the groove 58 to engage the confronting walls of the abutments 59and 69 and thus secure the rods against axial movement in eitherdirection from an intermediate or neutral position. Fixed to the otherend of the rods are forks 69 and 10, respectively. and the ngers ofthese forks extend to opposite sides of the lever L in such manner thatwhen the lever is lowered or elevated from an intermediate or neutralposition, and then moved horizontally in either direction, it will abutone finger or the other of either fork.

Where either rod is secured against axial movement by its respectivetongue 61 or 68, the fork restrains the lever against horizontalmovement in either direction. However, when the abutment member 51 isrotated to bring the tongue into registration with either slot 6I or 62,then the rod is free to be axially moved but only in one direction,depending upon with which yslot the respective tongue registers. Therespective fork can now yield to allow the lever to be moved but only inthat direction in which the rod is free to move.

In this manner thecontrol mechanism functions to restrict horizontalmovements of the lever to that position necessary to open that valve aspreselected and visibly indicated by and through operation of theindicating means.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

Normally all four valves V and V' are closed under the action of thesprings, so that gasoline from the inlet chambers 20 and 2| cannot passthrough the ports 25 into the outlet chamber i1. The lever L is normallydisposed in the vertical portion of the I-slot 52, with the latch pin 41 between the keepers 49 to prevent any horizontal movement of thelever. i

Assuming it is desired to dispense gasoline from the lower left-handinlet chamber (Fig. 2), the handle 63 is rotated to present the numeral1 to the operator, thereby actuating the sign block 53 so that thatlegend for the grade of gasoline contained in the aforesaid inletchamber is exposed to view through the window. Such operation of theindicating means actuates the control mechanism so that its parts occupythe position shown in Fig. 9. Thus the slot 6l is now opposite thetongue 59 to allow axial movement of the rod 64 but only to the right,while the slot 62 is out of line with the tongue E8 so that the rod 65is locked against axial movement in either direction.

The indicating means and the control mechanism are now set topermitoperation of the levers to open the valve for the aforesaid inletchamber and no other. Now, by lifting the lever to the upper end of theslot 52, where it is positioned between the fingers of the fork B9, theshaft 37 is rotated to cause the arms 3Q and 35 to occupy the positionsshown in dash lines in Fig. 5, wherein the head a is axially alined withthe nuts 21 for the valves V. Now, by rst pushthe lever inwardly to movethe latch pin clear of the keepers, the lever can be shifted to theright as when viewed in Fig. 9, to engage the fork 89 and shift the rod64 to the right, and to pass into the right upper extremity of theI-slot. This movement of the lever shifts the shaft 31 axially to theleft, thereby moving the head 315a to the left to open the valve V' forthe aforesaid inlet chamber.

Opening of this valve allows gasoline to ow from the corresponding portinto the outlet chamber i1, whence it passes from the manifold throughthe outlet Ha. Once the lever has been operated to open the aforesaidvalve, inward pressure on the lever is removed, thus causing the latchpin to engage a pair of keepers and secure the lever in this valveopening position.

Manifestly, to close the valve and discontinue the flow of gasolinethrough the respective port, the lever must be unlatched and thenrestored to the vertical portion of the slot 52, and in so doing the rod54 is moved to return -the tongue 61 into the groove 58, while the shaft31 and the heads 3l!a and 35a are shifted to normal axial position. Toopen any of the other valves to dispense any f. of the other grades ofgasoline, the necessary because of the size of that chamber and the lowlocation of the outlet ITE, the contamination of one grade of gasolineby that of the other is negligible for all practical purposes.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of liquiddispensing apparatus em- I bodying my invention, it is to be understoodthat various changes and modifications may be made herein, withoutdeparting from the spirit of my invention and the spirit and scope ofthe appended claims.

I claim:

1. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold having at leasttwo pairs of ports, with the ports of each pair confronting leach other;valves for each of the ports yieldably urged to closed position; an armfor each pair of valves movable laterally to singly open the valves; anda rotatable and axially movable shaft to which the arms are so fixedthat when the shaft is in 'zo either of two circumferential positions,one arm or the other is disposed between the valves of the respectivepair so that by moving the shaft axially in one direction or the other,one valve or the other Will be moved to open position.

2. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold having at leasttwo pairs of ports, with the ports of each pair confronting each other;valves for each of the ports yieldably urged to closed position; an armfor each pair of valves movable-laterally to singly open the valves; arotatable and axially movable shaftto which the arms are so fixed thatwhen the shaft is in either of two circumferential positions one arm'orthe other is disposed between the valves of the respective pair so thatby moving the shaft axially in one direction or the other one valve orthe other will be moved to open position; and a lever for actuating theshaft to open any of the valves.

3. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold having at leasttwo pairs of ports, with the ports of each pair -confronting each other;valves for each of the ports yieldably urged to closed position; an armfor each pair of valves movable laterally to singly open the valves; arotatable and axially movable shaft to which the arms are so xed thatwhen the shaft is in either of two circumferential positions one arm orthe other is disposed between the valves of the respective pair so thatby moving the shaft axially in one direction or the other, one valve orthe other will be moved to open position; a lever for actuating theshaft to open any of the valves; and control mechanism for restrictingmovement of the lever so as to open a preselected valve in advance ofoperation of the lever.

4. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold having at leasttwo pairs of ports, with the ports of each pair confronting each other;valves for each of the portsyieldably urged to closed position; an armfor each pair of valves movable laterally to singly open the valves; 'arotatable and axially movable shaft to which the arms are so fixed thatwhen the shaft is in either of two circumferential positions one arm orthel other is disposed between vthe valves of the respective pair sothat by moving the shaft axially in one direction or the other, .onevalve or the other will be moved to open position; a'lever for actuatingthe shaft to open any of the valves;

a control mechanism for restricting movement of the lever so as to opena preselected valve in advance of operation of the lever; and indicatingmeans operable by the control mechanism toindicate the preselectedvalve.

5. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold having aplurality of ports arranged `in pairs; valves for each of the ports; anarm for singly actuating each pair of valves; anda circumferentially andaxially movable shaft to which all of the arms are so fixed that whenthe shaft is in any predetermined circumferential position only one armwill be operable to singly actuate the respective pair of valvesaccording as the shaft is moved axially in one direction or the other.

6. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold having aplurality of ports arranged inv pairs; valves for each of the ports; anarm for singly actuating each pair of valves; a circumferentially andaxially movable shaft to whichy all of tlfe arms are so fixed that whenthe shaft is in any predetermined circumferential position only one armwill be operable to singly actuate the respective pair of valvesaccording as the shaft is moved axially in one direction or the other;and

a lever for actuating the shaft to open any preselected valve.

7. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold having aplurality of ports arranged in pairs; valves for each of the ports; anarm for singly actuating each pair of valves; a circumferentially andaxially movable shaft to which all of the arms are so xed that when theshaft is in any predetermined circumferential position only one arm willbe operable to singly actuate the respective pair of valves according asthe shaft is moved axially in one direction or the other; a lever foractuating the shaft to open any preselected valve; and control mechanismadjustable to restrain movement of the lever to actuate a preselectedvalve in advance of movement of the lever.

8. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold having aplurality of ports arranged in pairs; valves for each of the ports; anarm for singly actuating each pair of valves; a circumferentially andaxially movable shaft to which all of the arms are so fixed that whenthe shaft is in any predetermined circumferential position only one armwill be operable to singly actuate the respective pair of valvesaccording as the shaft is moved axially in one direction or the other; alever for actuating the shaft to open any preselected valve; controlmechanism adjustable to restrain movement of the lever to actuate apreselected valve in advance of movement of the lever; and indicatingmeans operable by the control mechanism to indicate the preselectedvalve.

9. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold having at leasttwo pairs of ports, with the ports of each pair confronting each other;valves for each. of the ports yieldably urged to closed position; an armfor each pair of valves movable laterally to singly openI the valves; arotatable and axially movable shaft to which the arms are so fixed thatwhen the shaft is in either of two circumferential positions one arm orthe other is disposed between the valves of the respective pair so thatby moving the shaft axially in one direction or the other one valve orthe other will be moved to open position; a lever for actuating theshaft to open any preselected valve; a guiding member for the lever; andcoacting means on the guiding member and lever for latching the lever inany of its valve opening positions.

10. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold; valves in themanifold; means for selectively actuating the valves including a lever;

mechanism for controlling movement of the lever to actuate a preselectedvalve, comprising two shafts mounted in the manifold for axial movement;forks on the shafts between either of which the lever is adapted toextend, to restrain movement 4of the lever axially of the shafts; a pairof tongues one on each of the shafts; a pair of rotatable abutmentsbetween which the tongues extend to restrain axial movement of theshafts, said abutments having disalined slots therein to receive thetongues and thus permit axial movement of the shafts; and means forrotating the abutments to aline or disaline the slots with the tongues.

11. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising; a manifold; valves in themanifold; means for selectively actuating the valves including a lever;mechanism for controlling movement of the lever to actuate a preselectedvalve, comprising two shafts mounted in the manifold for axial movement;forks on the shafts between either of which the lever is adapted toextend, to restrain movement of the lever axially of the shafts; a pairof tongues one on each of the shafts; a pair of rotatable abutmentsbetween which the tongues extend to restrain axial movement of theshafts, said abutments having disalined slots therein to receive thetongues and thus permit axial movement of the shafts; means for rotatingthe abutments to aline or disaline the slots with the tongues; and meanscorrelated with the abutments for indicating the circumferentialposition of any of the slots when alined with either tongue.

12. A liquid dispensing apparatus, comprising, a manifold having portstherein and a wall formed'with an opening, and another wall formed witha slot; valves for the ports; a mechanism for selectively actuating thevalves including a shaft mounted in the manifold for rotational andaxial movements, a lever of telescopic inner and outer sections urged toaxially extended position and having a pin and slot connection fordefining the extended position, the inner section pivotally connected tothe shaft, fulcrumed in the opening of the first mentioned wall, andextending through the slot of the second mentioned wall, the pin of saidconnection carried by the inner lever section and normally engaging thesecond mentioned wall, and said slot of a form to allow lateraladjustment of the lever to rotate and axially move the shaft; andkeepers on the second mentioned wall engageable by said pin for latchingthe lever in any position of lateral adjustment.

FRANCIS B. BROWN.

